GPS coming to 3G iPhone?

Google Maps could give you a much more accurate fix on your location with GPS.

(Credit: Apple)

It's pretty much a given that the next-generation iPhone will be faster, but it might be able to find its way home as well.

GigaOm is reporting that Broadcom is Apple's supplier for GPS chips that are inside the next iPhone, expected to arrive with a 3G cellular networking chip within a few weeks. GPS is an increasingly common feature inside smartphones, and is much more accurate than the cell-tower and Wi-Fi positioning system that Apple rolled out in January.

Rumors of GPS capabilities inside the forthcoming iPhone trickled out earlier this month, in the form of possible geotagging code noticed inside the iPhone software development kit. GigaOm notes a report from Popular Mechanics that reveals GPS manufacturers are shaking in their boots over the prospect of a GPS-enabled iPhone.

And if it comes to pass, expect to see a whole bunch of location-based services arrive along with the formal release of the SDK, expected in late June. Om Malik notes that Google Maps is an extremely popular iPhone application already, and the addition of GPS would make that service even more compelling.

[jag0]

Umm...late to the party? People have been speculating this for a looooooooooooooong time.

[johnericanderson]

My Windows phone has had GPS for years. Who's the innovator?

[technewsjunkie]

Good. Stick with your Windows Mobile phone. <br />And watch the explosion in sales of iPhones continue.<br />Just because Apple has added a feature that was previously available doesn't make MS an innovator. Very few people think MS is innovative. They acquire or imitate, rather than develop themselves. Is Vista Innovative??

[jrm125]

technewsjunkie,<br /><br />If Apple had it first, and MS followed it would be called Apple innovation copied and imitated.<br /><br />Deal with the fact the tables are turned for once.

[mtnelson]

Micro$oft is an innovator?... um, did you just wake up from a coma or something?

[jrm125]

Hey, deal with it, Apple was late to the party on this one. As far as smartphones go, whether people want to admit it or not, Microsoft came much earlier and offered far more features.<br /><br />Is it always as pretty? Hardly. But suck it up, Apple isn't innovating, but following.

[irondog1970]

John,<br /><br />While Windows smart phones may have had GPS for a long time, the news-worthiness of this story is a result of the perception that either everyone has an iPhone or secretly desires to own one. In fact, I do have one friend who cited the lack of GPS capability as the only reason why he doesn't have one (whether or not he'll actually get one is another matter).

[JonathonStriker]

Better. Better. Now for some Stereo Bluetooth and we are all set. After all, whats the point of an iPhone that can't do Stereo when even the cheapest Nokia phone has AD2P support?

[Mr. Dee]

We talk of all these features coming with the iPhone when it hits 3G and version 2 of its OS. But the big question is, how much of the precious flash storage space in the iPhone will be used to run all of this software. The current 1x version of iPhone OS currently uses about 500 MBs, it seems like with all the improvements owners might be seeing something go cross the 1 GB barrier. I hope the next version of iTunes includes proper software management especially with the App Store coming.

[moveteam]

@Mr. Dee: Hell no! The software uses about 100-200 MB of storage, the reason why it seems like it's bigger is that 1 MB = 1024 KB and not 1000 KB ;)

[Peter Bonte]

Maybe the software uses 200 MB of storage but road maps take up GB's, i think Apple will use the GPS with Googlemaps so there won't be a need for local maps.

[Heebee Jeebies]

Having went through three hand held GPS units looking for one that would connect indoors, in the car, in the city and under trees. The only one that worked was SiRFStar III equiped. Without this chipset for GPS Apple can keep their new iPhone. I will stick with the old one. Shame that they decided on cheap instead of good. I guess apple with all of their OS patches and now this is finally going the way of Microsoft. Promise the world, just do it cheap.

[theseanwesley]

I'm sorry, did some meathead call windows an innovator. Wow. I don't even know what to say to that. All I know is that my Treo phone with windows blows. If I don't get an iphone, I'm getting a new Treo 755p. And trust me, its the AT and T issue from holding me back, not the apple vs Treo.

[chipotlecoyote]

If this is true, it means they're using Global Locate's technology, which is really pretty competitive with SiRFStar (and was in fact designed for very low power applications like, oh, I don't know, CELL PHONES).

[Manhattan2]

Look for GPSadvertising.com, GPSforless.com, GPSimaging.com to change the world of GPS and phones!

[wadah1111]

Do I have to wait for that? , htc touch diamond is coming this month it has everything that iphone might have even the camera is better I'm not saying that iphone is bad but face it there are some better phones out there.

[cpriz]

apple is better than windows